23 June 2021

Sewing For The Season - Summer!

Sewing For The Season - Summer!

Hurrah! Didn't it feel like summer wasn't quite going to make it back in May? So. Much. Rain... But luckily the clouds have cleared right on time and we've been blessed with plenty of sunny days with lots more to come. So let's get that summer sewing in full swing, shall we... 

I've had a look through aaalllll the high street trends for summer so I'll be showing you how to sew the looks for yourself, including gorgeous fabric recommendations for some must-make summer patterns.

SHOP OUR SUMMER SEWING PATTERN EDIT HERE

Fancy seeing some of our summer sewing picks in action? Check out our video below with some sewing chat with Abi:


Cool & Comfy

Sewing For The Season - Summer! Cool and Comfy

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We all know comfy dresses are where it's at and here at Tilly and the Buttons, comfy dresses are our bread and butter! Loose-fitting smock dresses are SO comfy in summer, swishing gently in the breeze and if you make midi or maxi length, you can protect your skin from the sun at the same time (always a plus if you're as pale as me!). 

Our Stevie add-on pattern has a gathered skirt so you can turn Stevie into a breezy, oversized smock dress, with the easiest sleeves you'll ever sew. Or if you fancy upping your smock dress sewing game, try our Indigo pattern in a fabric with more stability like cotton poplin, for super trendy slightly puffed sleeves

Fabric Finds:

Sewing For The Season - Summer!

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Sewing For The Season - Summer!

Dresses: top / bottom
Fabric: top: red gingham / floral / pink - bottom: floral / broderie anglasie

I won't lie, creating these sewing inspiration blog posts just creates one long sewing wish list for myself, and these two dresses made me audibly gasp when I was scrolling. They have now been bumped to the top of my summer sewing plans! Tiered, gathered skirts provide an opportunity to mix and match your prints and a gingham & floral Indigo (with add-on) smock dress is waiting for me. Imagine how good this would look on our Lyra dress too, you could even do the collar in a contrasting fabric! 

Loose Shirts & Drawstring Waists

Sewing For The Season - Summer! Loose Shirts & Drawstring Waists

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Continue the summer swish factor with our loose-fitting Lyra shirt dress - on-trend and cool to wear with sooo many fabric possibilities. If you're looking for a speedy & simple summer make, then our Lotta dress is for you. If you're new to sewing or fancy some company, why not take up some summer school and join Tilly for our Sew An Easy Dress online workshop where you can sew a Lotta dress with her every step of the way?

If you like the look of Lotta's comfy elasticated waist, then check out our classic jersey Tabitha T-Shirt dress from the Make It Simple book. Not only is Tabitha a classic T-shirt pattern to pair with your separates, adapting it into a dress means you'll get even more out of your pattern and the drawstring waist creates lovely shaping. 

Fabric Picks:

Sewing For The Season - Summer!

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Midi Skirts & Cropped Trousers

Sewing For The Season - Summer! Midi Skirts & Cropped Trousers

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Midi skirts are a wardrobe essential. Great for pairing with statement tees and converse, or dressing up for a trip to the beer garden (imagine!). Our super simple Dominique skirt is an ideal project for a novice stitcher or a satisfying one hour make for more experienced dressmakers. Play with pocket placement, adding in-seam pockets or adding big patch pockets. 

Our Miette skirt is a gently flared wraparound skirt that ties at the front in a bow. The skirt has a wide overlap at the back (no danger of flashing!) and optional patch pockets - this style can be easily adapted to have a longer midi-length skirt. Or if you're a pattern hacker, try pinching the tiered Lyra skirt and adding an elasticated waist channel to the top for a simple pull-on skirt!

If skirts and dresses aren't for you (or your wardrobe is bursting with them like mine...), try a pair of ultra-comfy Safiya trousers from the Make It Simple book (aka secret PJs). Try a cute added ruffle like the ones above - v trendy right now! 

Fabric Picks:

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Jumpsuits & Playsuits

Sewing For The Season - Summer! Jumpsuits & Playsuits

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Perfect for all occasions, if you haven't tried a jumpsuit or a playsuit yet, you need one in your life! Luckily we've got you covered with a selection of styles. Our Marigold jumpsuit is suuuper comfy with its blousy waist and lovely sweetheart neckline and is great for layering over T-shirts if you need more coverage. 

Our Alexa jumpsuit features a button-down bodice with peg-style legs or a super summery playsuit shorts length. Opt for the flap pockets and rolled sleeve tabs for a utility look or leave them off if you want your fabric to do the talking. If wrap styles are your thing, then our Safiya wrap playsuit pattern from the Make It Simple book is a must, again with an optional longer straight leg for all seasons!

Fabric Picks:

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Pjs Outside

Sewing For The Season - Summer! PJs Outside

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Now hear me out... being able to sew our own clothes is an awesome skill that allows us to think outside the box when it comes to sewing patterns, including hacking them into different variations and styling them in a multitude of ways. So what's stopping you from adapting a PJ sewing pattern to wear out and about! Our easy-peasy Jaimie PJ shorts are perfect for creating some comfy drawstring shorts for all-day wear. If you want more coverage, the legs can easily be lengthed and can be sewn in a variety of fabrics. Sew Jaimie in silky crepe and you've got yourself some lush shorts you'll want to show off!

But Jaimie isn't the only one. Our delicate Fifi camisole pattern would be perfect for turning into a bias-cut slip dress. Slip dresses look so fresh styled with trainers and T-shirts under (or over and tied at the front), just typing this has me reaching for Fifi to plot my own...

Sewing For The Season - Summer!

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The Ultimate Summer Dress

Sewing For The Season - Summer! Skye Dress

I don't want to give too much away too soon, but our upcoming summer sewing pattern Skye is going to be your new go-to for all sunny occasions. I couldn't resist giving you a peek in this post as its release is just around the corner... 

ORDER YOUR COPY OF THE SKYE SUNDRESS SEWING PATTERN HERE!

Available in sizes UK 6-24 / US 2-20 / EUR 34-52 or UK 16-34 / US 12-30 / EUR 44-62.

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I hope this blog post has filled you with lots of summer sewing inspiration! Will you be looking at your PJ patterns a little differently now? Are you ready to sew your first playsuit? Don't forget to tag us in your gorgeous TATB makes on social media, we love seeing them and all the creative ways you use your patterns. 

Happy sewing!


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Author: Abi Dyson